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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
LOSING 1988 Chibuku Cup finalists Highlanders will be praying hard that the Ascot Stadium curse is exorcised when they take on Shabanie Mine in the first round of the returning cup tomorrow afternoon.Highlanders were 1-0 losers to a then fired up Zimbabwe Saints in the last edition of the Chibuku Cup and are obviously eager to be the side that bags the newly re-introduced silverware sponsored to the tune of $500, 000 by Delta Beverages.

Winners are expected to walk away with $75,000 while the losing finalists will pocket $50,000 and semi-finalists take home $25,000 each.

The teams that will be knocked out in the quarterfinals will bank $20,000 with first round losers getting $15,000.

However, the Bulawayo giants will first have to worry about the venue curse that has seen them go there three times and on all those occasions they have come out without achieving their objective.

The first was in a pre-season tournament where they lost on penalty shootouts to Chapungu in the CG Msipha Scholarship Fund tourney and a week later drew 0-0 with the same team in the season opener.

Highlanders were to return to Ascot Stadium for the quarterfinals of the One Wallet Cup against city neighbours How Mine. They came back to Bulawayo licking their wounds having bowed out through shootouts again.

So it will come as no surprise that the entire black and white family received news that their match against Shabanie had since been shifted to Ascot with trepidation.

Even the club chairman Peter Dube was not amused by the move and took a dig at the seemingly erratic nurture of fixturing. While he publicly expressed concern about who would fund their trip, it was an open secret that he was more gravely concerned about his team’s previous results at Ascot.

Coach Kelvin Kaindu is also not a fan of the Ascot pitch.

“Our preparations have been well and we would not want to dwell much on the past results at the same venue. It’s not a good pitch though but on our good day we can pass the ball well and we hope tomorrow will be that day,” said Kaindu.

He will be without Rahman Kutsanzira, Gabriel Nyoni and Simon Munawa who are all nursing injuries.

Shabanie Mine coach, John Phiri did not help matters either as he taunted Bosso further by welcoming the decision to shift the match to the Midlands.

“Barbourfields Stadium is always intimidating to most players and the shift to Ascot is a big plus for us. However, we are aware that Highlanders have not won a single match in their last five matches and naturally they are like a cornered and injured animal, they will come charging at us. We are prepared for them though,” said Phiri.

The Shabanie coach, who denied reports that he has been given a one match ultimatum, said tomorrow’s game was a money game with the team that is more hungrier for the cash likely to emerge winners.

“It’s going to be one of the most exciting games at Ascot, we hope the fans will enjoy a good game of football with the Shabanie Mine fans the more happier after 90 minutes,” said Phiri.

He will be without his right winger, Tollbert Mthombeni who has a groin injury.

The Chibuku cup roars into life this afternoon with three matches lined up at Rimuka, Mandava and Rufaro Stadiums.

Unbeaten ZPC (Kariba) take on Harare City at Rimuka Stadium, Caps United play host to Chapungu at Rufaro Stadium while city side Bantu Rovers have a mammoth task against FC Platinum at Mandava Stadium.

Ailing How Mine will be at “home” to Chicken Inn at Mandava Stadium tomorrow with Dynamos taking on Black Rhinos at Gwanzura Stadium.

Coalminers Hwange welcome Triangle at the Colliery hoping to make full use of their home ground, breached twice this season so far.

Fixtures

Today: ZPC Kariba v Harare City (Rimuka), FC Platinum v Bantu Rovers (Mandava), Caps United v Chapungu (Rufaro),

Tomorrow: Dynamos v Black Rhinos (Gwanzura), Highlanders v Shabanie Mine (Ascot), Hwange v Triangle United (Colliery), Buffaloes v Chiredzi (Sakubva), How Mine v Chicken Inn (Mandava)